Pleas to commit £100,000 to protect Aberdeen’s remaining swimming pools have been denied as plans are drawn up to close the Beach Leisure Centre pool for months.
There was shock across the city last week as Sport Aberdeen announced the temporary closure in the face of soaring energy costs.
It will shut after the school summer holidays until the spring, while the remainder of the centre stays open.
No extra Aberdeen council cash for swimming as beach pool set to close
Calls from the Conservatives to commit £100,000 the city’s leisure operator – to insulate swimmers from the extra travel cost of going elsewhere – were voted down.
The ruling SNP and Liberal Democrats advocated a more joined up response to rising running costs of city facilities.
Calls for swimming pool cash denied as Aberdeen council chiefs don’t even know much they’ll have to pay their staff
It came after chief finance officer Jonathan Belford warned the council needed to maintain common good reserves to see it through peaks and troughs in investments.
And, despite a £1.3 million surplus in the council’s general fund, the top money man warned it was needed for the “uncertain” months ahead.
“Challenges that have faced the council – particularly over the last two years through Covid – continue in this financial year,” Mr Belford said.
“There is supply chain volatility, inflation and the uncertainty in relation to pay negotiations, not concluded for local government staff.
“While there is continued discussion between Cosla and the unions, that still is some time to go in terms of finding a resolution. It means there is uncertainty around our financial outturn for this year.”
Aberdeen City Council will not put bolster swimming pool funds
Tory group leader Ryan Houghton had wanted the £100,000 to be put towards “swimming related activities”.
But his Conservatives, combining with Labour, were outvoted 6-5.
He told us: “The administration’s decision today not to use common good funding to help Sport Aberdeen with swimming facilities sets a marker for this new council term.
“It’s a concerning approach for the SNP and Lib Dems to take, given their commitment to Bon Accord Baths and the reopening of Hazlehead.
“The only people losing out here are the public which rely on good quality public services.”
However, SNP and Lib Dem councillors hit out at the £100,000 figure that they claimed was “plucked from the ether”.
Given the Conservatives and Labour cut the Sport Aberdeen budget in March by £274,000, SNP council co-leader Alex Nicoll branded the suggestion “rather ironic”.
“I understood to provide a very clear piece of advice that Mr Belford would not wish to engage in a spending spree with these surpluses,” he added.
“It is clear we need to manage our finances very closely in coming months because we are far from out of the woods in terms of financial problems that will be faced by this council and every citizen.”
Carting swimming learners to different Aberdeen council pools ‘a fantasy’
Mr Houghton had claimed the closure of the beach pool was placing a “travel burden” on those now facing a journey to another pool for swimming lessons.
But providing a service to take them to the alternative facilities was described as “a fantasy” by the new finance convener.
The SNP’s Alex McLellan said: “We need to understand that Aberdeen City Council is facing financial uncertainty.
“We have heard that the prudent financial course of action is to await our Q1 position so committee can have a better understanding of the cost pressures around energy, the pay award and general inflationary pressures.
“It is easy to sit and allocate money while in opposition, but we in the partnership are looking to be prudent with the books.
“And the narrative that this money could come from the common good is simply irresponsible.”
You can watch the meeting of the council finance committee meeting here.
‘It’s a disgrace’: Readers react to the closure of Aberdeen Beach Leisure Centre pool
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